In a significant boost to the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, India’s Gaganyaan mission will use “Made-in-India” drogue parachutes to safely bring astronauts back to Earth. These parachutes, designed to decrease speed and stabilize moving objects, are being produced at the Ordnance Equipment Factory in Hazratpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has ordered 28 sets of these parachutes, with 12 already delivered and the rest expected next month.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to showcase India’s capability for human space flight and lay the foundation for sustained human space exploration. Each parachute set includes four types: Ring Slot – Apex Cover Separation (ACS) Canopy, Drogue Parachute – Conical Ribbon Canopy, Pilot Parachute – Ring Slot Canopy, and Main Canopy – Circular Slotted. Made from special fabric like Nylon 66, these parachutes are crucial for reducing the crew module’s velocity during re-entry, ensuring a safe landing.
The parachute deployment sequence begins with two apex covers, followed by stabilization and drogue parachutes, transitioning to three pilot chutes that deploy three main parachutes. This system reduces the capsule’s velocity to secure a safe landing, with the drogue parachutes decelerating the descent from 7 kilometers altitude to 190 meters per second, and pilot parachutes further slowing it to 10-12 meters per second before the main canopies deploy.
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